Remove the center dust caps from the rear axles, start the tractor up and put it in gear and observe the axles, if one of them is spinning freely inside the wheel, you have lost the 1/4" square key that pins the wheel to the axle. Replace the key and you can go back to mowing. This often happens when a flat has been repaired and the wheel pushes the key out the back as you slide it back on the axle. Sometimes it will just barely catch at the edge of the wheel and work for a while then fall out and you not even know it
SOURCE: MTD riding mower does not move forward or reverse.
this is a belt driven transmission. from the engine driven pulley going aft towards the xmission differential there is another smaller variable speed pulley, there is a long belt between these two, from the variable speed pulley there is a larger xmission pulley that sits kitty-corner to it with a belt between these two. This larger "xmission pulley" is what drives the differential and depending upon which gear you have selected, makes it go forward or reverse. Check that both belts between pulleys are on, check that pulley's hardware is completely secured (nuts tightened down) The heads of these pulley's are splined to align to the shaft(s) and if they aren't tight, they will just spin and not engage the transmission. If your battery is under the seat, remove it and you should be able to see and access the aft pulleys. If both belts are on and engaging the pulley's and the shaft is turning on the transmission pulley than you have transmission differential failure. Bet it's the belt off or pulley head loose. Good luck, hope this helps
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You need to post a bit more information. What led up to this problem? Did you just replace or repair a flat tire? Have you checked the condition of the motion drive belt? Is it on all pulleys? Is it a stick shift or Hydrostatic transmission?
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